Whole Foods, Inc. just not liberal enough

The myth about liberals being tolerant and open-minded, respecting everyone's views was busted once again recently. Last week John Mackey, CEO of heaven on earth for organic , natural fiber wearing, earth worshippers, Whole Foods, wrote an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal advocating "The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare" which consisted of "Eight things we can do to improve health care without adding to the deficit." Needless to say, not one of the eight things demanded the government supply it or taxing the evil rich to pay for it.

Spitting up their expensive artisanal, pesticide free bean sprouts and ruining the planet by traveling further, some tolerant (not!), open-minded (definitely not!) liberals have reacted to such apostasy by boycotting the stores according to Emily Friedman of ABC News.

Even though Whole Foods has an extremely generous health insurance plan for its employees

The op-ed piece, which begins with a Margaret Thatcher quote, "The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money," has left some Whole Foods loyalists enraged. Many say Mackey was out of line to opine against the liberal base that has made his fortune possible.

So much for liberals' belief in freedom of speech in which diverse opinions from different cultures are respected.

Sample reactions to the Wall Street Journal editorial.

"I will no longer be shopping at Whole Foods," Taylor told ABCNews.com. "I think a CEO should take care that if he speaks about politics, that his beliefs reflect at least the majority of his clients."

Countless Whole Foods shoppers have taken their gripes with Mackey's op-ed to the Internet, where people on the social networking sites Twitter and Facebook are calling for a boycott of the store.

A commenter on the Whole Foods forum, identified only by his handle, "PracticePreach," wrote, "It is an absolute slap in the face to the millions of progressive-minded consumers that have made [Whole Foods] what it is today."

"You should know who butters your hearth-baked bread, John," wrote the commenter. "Last time I checked it wasn't the insurance industry conservatives who made you a millionaire a hundred times over."

Brand marketing expert Lynn Upshaw

added that Mackey's op-ed may have done more harm than might be typical because of the unique makeup of his clientele.

"You have more activist consumers going to Whole Foods than other stores," said Upshaw. "They're not just simply expressing an opinion, they do something about it.

"These are people who have already gone out of the way to find a place that is more expensive to buy certain types of food," he said. "So in theory, they might be more willing to take the action to go somewhere else if they don't agree with Mackey."

But where will they go? Wal-Mart which has terrific prices but is not unionized--a liberal no, no? And to liberals, its patrons are well...not their type. Maybe they can grow their own.

And as for Whole Foods well, as the health care insurance reform mob learns about its CEO's beliefs, they might begin to patronize the stores. As has been seen in recent weeks, these mobsters have also proven they are "activist consumers" who "might be more willing to take the action to go" there because they agree with Mackey.

Win some, lose some. That's the way the free market works.


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